When the Spirit Awards convene under a big tent on the beach in Santa Monica, California, this Saturday, February 22, the beloved event known for amplifying independent cinema and fostering a creative community, will do so under new leadership. On February 7, Film Independent named Brenda Robinson its Acting President, elevating her from her position as head of the board of directors.
The multi-talented actress-comedian Aidy Bryant returns as host, after her much praised performance last year. (Previous hosts have included Peter Coyote, Buck Henry, John Waters, Roger Ebert, Samuel L. Jackson and Aubrey Plaza, among others.)
Robinson said the organization will honor the late Josh Welsh, it’s longtime president, who passed away peacefully at home this past December 31, with his wife Bonnie Gavel and daughter Isla Welsh at his side. Eric d’ Arbeloff, co-president and owner of Roadside Attractions, assumed Robinson’s position as acting chair of the board of directors. He previously served as the vice chair of the board.
“Josh was a tireless champion of independent voices, a trusted arts leader and a cherished colleague and friend. The work we do at Film Independent has never been more necessary and we will honor his legacy by continuing to build on the foundation he established,” Robinson said at the time of his passing. Welsh implemented several Artist Development programs, grew the membership of the organization, and catapulted Film Independent globally.
Under Robinson’s guidance, the 40th edition of the Spirit Awards will welcome a diverse band of nominees. Sean Baker, Mikey Madison, Yura Borisov, and Karren Karagulian from the Palme d’Or winner “Anora” received Spirit nods. As did “Sing Sing” (led by Colman Domingo and Claren Maclin); “The Substance” (led by Demi Moore); “Nickel Boys” and its cinematographer Jomo Fray; and director Brady Corbet for “The Brutalist.” “The Apprentice” received nominations for actor Sebastian Stan, director and editor Ali Abassi, and supporting actor Jeremy Strong.
Along with those Oscar hopefuls, other tremendous nominees from equally powerful films will be attending. Jane Schoenbrun’s identity-shifting film “I Saw the TV Glow,” for instance, tied “Anora” for most nominations (5) by garnering recognition for Best Picture, Schoenbrun in director and screenplay, Justice Smith, and Jack Haven. Danielle Deadwyler snagged a Best Supporting Performance nod for “The Piano Lesson.” “The Piano Lesson” also earned a nomination for Best Feature. Other films earning a “Best Feature” nomination were “Didi,” “In the Summers,” “Problemista,” and “Janet Planet.”
Other buzzy titles like the Best Documentary nominated “No Other Land” and the Best International Film nominated films “Flow” and “All We Imagine As Light” are also among the long list of exceptional nominees. Television shows receiving nominations are “Baby Reindeer,” “Diarra from Detroit,” “English Teacher,” “Fantasmas,” and “Shōgun.”
An afternoon of star-studded presenters are also expected to appear (they will be announced this week).
For Robinson, helming the Independent Spirit Awards will be an enormous task but not an unfamiliar one. Throughout her distinguished career both with Film Independent and outside of the organization, Robinson has worked to honor the past while keeping a steady eye on the future.
Robinson is an entertainment attorney, producer and dedicated philanthropist hailing from Chicago. In 2022 she succeeded Mary Sweeney as Chair of Film Independent’s Board of Directors.
A member of The Recording Academy, BAFTA and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), she has been an advisor to Amazon Studios, IMDb, HiddenLight Productions and Wavelength. Brenda was a financier on the Academy Award-winning documentary “Icarus,” as well as “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” and “Step.” She executive produced the Rebecca Hall-directed film “Passing,” the Emmy-nominated “United Skates,” and documentaries, such as the Jennifer Siebel Newsom directed “The Great American Lie,” the Steph Curry co-produced “Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story,” and the PBS “American Masters” series film “Marian Anderson: The Whole World In Her Hands.”
Robinson is currently on the board of The Representation Project, founded by California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and the GRAMMY Museum Foundation. She is also an advisor to The Redford Center, co-founded by Robert Redford and his son James Redford.
While a sense of “independence” naturally lends itself to the Spirit Awards, Robinson doesn’t feel alone.
“It is an extraordinary privilege to have the opportunity to guide our organization forward with grace during this period of great change and transition,” Robinson shared with Rogerebert.com. “The outpouring of support and encouragement we have received from the independent film community has been the wind in our sails.”
That feeling of community, a core tenet of Film Independent, will surely be felt on February 22. And for Robinson, as Acting President, it’ll surely be a night to remember.
The 40th Independent Spirit Awards will be live streamed on the Youtube channels on IMDb and Film Independent. The full list of nominees can be found, here.
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